Monday, April 24, 2017

BRIDGING WRITERS AUTHOR SERIES PRESENTS

Monday, May 1, 2017

6:30 – 8:00 PM

Thayer Memorial Library

Paul Hertneky – Rust Belt Boy: Stories of an American Childhood

In Paul Hertneky’s RUST BELT BOY: Stories of an American Childhood the author counts himself among the millions of Baby Boomers who fled the industrial north upon fulfilling their parents’ dreams of a college education, leaving behind a rich cultural legacy that has all but disappeared.

For over twenty-five years,Paul Hertnekyhas written stories, essays, and scripts for the Boston Globe, Athens News, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, New Hampshire Union Leader, NBC News, The Comedy Channel,Gourmet, Eating Well,Traveler’s Tales, The Exquisite Corpse, National Public Radio, Public Radio International,Adbustersand many more. His work centers on culture, food, industry, the environment, and travel, winning him a Solas Award, and two James Beard Award nominations. A graduate of the Bennington Writing Seminars, he serves on the faculty of Chatham University.

Thursday, April 13, 2017

Congratulations to the winners of theSeven Bridge Writers' Collaborative's

Third Annual Student Poetry Contest!

Thank you to our guest judge, Lex Thomas, for reading almost 300 poems by students in grade 2 to 12! Thank you to the staff at Mary Rowlandson, Luther Burbank and Nashoba Regional High School and to the staff at the Thayer Memorial Library for their partnerships and help with the contest.

All student poems are on display at the Thayer Memorial Library through the end of National Poetry month. The community is invited to hear the winning poems read at the Poetry Open Mic on Sunday, April 30th at the Hall, the First Church of Christ, Lancaster, MA, at 2 PM. All poets are welcome to read poems of their own as well.

"This program was supported in part by a grantfrom the Lancaster Cultural Council,

a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency."

SECOND GRADE

FIRST PLACE:

Chit
Chat

This
is a cat. He loves to chit chat.

His
name is Matt.

He
has a neighbor who is a rat.

He
just bought an expensive hat.

His
hat has stripes.

They
look like pipes.

The
stripes are red and green.

You
better be nice and not mean.

Matt
likes pie.

He
doesn’t cry.

He
likes to fly high.

He
met an animal that was drinking a Danimal.

The
Danimal was flavored berry.

The
animal was named Larry.

He
was singing, ‘Don’t stop the beat!”

He
was singing it while he ate meat.

Aaron
Ethier and Amanda Ritter, grade 2

SECOND PLACE:

Surprise
in My Eyes

Surprise,
surprise, in my eyes.

I
see a star over my car.

Now,
now, little bear,

sitting
in my little chair.

Here,
here, little seal,

don’t
steal, little seal.

Emma
Hudak, grade 2

THIRD PLACE:

Golden
Dragon

Golden
dragon, golden dragon, how are you?

You’re
like flames. WHOOSH!

You
fly right by,

by
the blink of my eye and the tips of my toes.

The
wind blows sharply, and the night crept slow and smooth.

Then
he went home and slept through the night.

Silent!
Nothing moving in your cave.

Brendan
Brunelle, Zachary Flanagan, and Joseph O’Riorden, grade 2

HONORABLE MENTION:

Up!
Down!

Up!
Down!

Up, Down,

Up, Down,

Up, Down,

Up and down to the
tiny town.

Liberty
Zmijak, grade 2

HONORABLE MENTION:

Bugs,
Bugs!

Bugs,
bugs, are on the ground.

Bugs,
bugs, I found, I found.

Bugs,
bugs, fly high in the sky.

Bugs,
bugs, fly in a house.

Bugs
are outside.

Bugs
are inside.

Alia
Hanson and Madeline Krikorian, grade 2

THIRD GRADE:

FIRST PLACE:

Untitled

Once
there was a girl named Summer

who
danced with a plumber

that
sang with a drummer

who
loved her husband named, Gunner,

who
sat on a wheel with a spear that night.

As
they slept, came a noise

that
sounded like boys that swept

through
the night.

When
a boy came into sight,

when
summer screamed with the thunder that rumbled,

the
next day she woke with a start.

(What
is that boy doing in here? asked Summer.)

As
the drummer, plumber and Gunner came through the door.

Chelsea
Amaral, grade 3

SECOND PLACE:

Athletes

Athletes
are always fast.

Athletes
never come in last.

Athletes
are competitive.

This
is how they live.

Athletes
are you and me.

WE
ARE…

ATHLETES!

Katie
Potter, grade 3

THIRD PLACE:

My
Dog

I
have the smartest dog of all.

He
will come when you call.

He
can sometimes stall,

but he
loves it,

when
you throw a ball.

Emma
Lemire, grade 3

FOURTH GRADE:

FIRST PLACE:

I Am

I am the sky

I am the

Daylight of the

Night

the Darkness

of the Day

I am the Happy

of the Sad

the Evil

of the good

I am the

White in the Black

I am

the Beginning of

the End

Melissa
Cerioni, grade 4

SECOND PLACE:

The
Ninja Kitten

Doo,
Doo, Doo.

He’s
a Ninja Kitten,

beating
bad guys,

doing
good things.

He’s
super swag.

He
doesn’t brag.

He’s
a really good Persian,

like
he should.

But
then one day

there
was a situation in May.

Hostages,
with catnip

stolen
by Dr. Evil Mouse.

He
got in a choppa,

drove
over to his lair.

By
doing karate

he
could beat the mouse.

Ninja
Kitten didn’t beat him yet,

and
I bet it would take

a
miracle for him to win.

He
kicked the mouse in the shin.

30
minutes later

he
was hanging over gators.

Yes,
alligators.

He
thought he’d bite the rope

but
he realized, he’d fall in.

He
thought and shot a shuriken

at
the button panel to close

the
gator pit.

He
cut himself out

and
didn’t shout, “I’m free!”

Oh,
wait, he did.

He
got the guard’s attention.

He
fought and fought

and
won again.

He
is the best!

Ninja
Kitten!

John
Knop, grade 4

THIRD PLACE:

Dawn
to Sunset NC

The
sun appears in the sky at dawn.

I
drink the light, some stars still in the sky.

I
wait till they disappear, till you can make out the leaves fluttering off the
trees and

resting
gently at my feet.

I
take a walk just to hear the sound of nature.

Leaves
crunching, squirrels squeaking, and birds chirping in tune with the crickets.

I
hear frogs croaking, and I know I have arrived.

Soon
in the distance, I hear water splashing around.

I
run up to the lake, take off my shoes, then my socks, then put my bare feet in
the water,

lapping
at my feet.

I
throw off the t-shirt covering my bathing suit always, and I jump in.

After
a while, I look up.

The
sun is not in the sky anymore, it is in the trees casting shadows on the earth,

lighting
the sky to a maroon pink.

Stars
again dotting the sky.

I
rush home before dark, and soon I am drifting into a deep sleep.

From
dawn to sunset I think.

Then
everything went black.

Noelle
Chandley, grade 4

HONORABLE MENTION:

Fog

Fog
in the darkness

Inside
my head

Getting
thicker

And
thicker

I
get madder

And
madder.

And
then,

finally,
it

goes
away.

And
the sun

can
shine over me

Again.

As I
become happier than

Ever.

Again.

Emma Dionne, grade
4

HONORABLE MENTION:

Dressage,
a Pi Poem

Harmony,
grace, perfection.

Dressage

They
dance to music

Passage

Dancing
a test to perfection

They
dance in perfect harmony to the beautiful music

Rhythmic
pirouettes

Counter
canter, flying changes, half pass

They
dance sunrise to sunset

Airs
above ground

Flying
like they have wings

Beginner
to grand prix level, all in harmony

Kicking
up dirt, foaming mouths and flailing hooves

We
use only our legs to “talk”

Dressage
is more difficult than it looks, sitting still

We
sit still

Dressage
is

Harmony
and grace

Practice,
perfection, beauty and grace, it’s more difficult

Than
you think.

Emma Schexnaydre,
grade 4

HONORABLE MENTION:

Nat
Cat Limerick

There
once was a cat named Nat,

who
was an old cat that took naps.

He
LOVES to eat fish

served
up on a dish.

And
that is why he naps on a mat.

Wyatt Snow, grade
4

FIFTH GRADE:

FIRST PLACE:

New
England Weather

Weather,
weather, always the same,

Florida
sunny, Washington rain.

But
here in New England, to our surprise,

it
changes, summer to winter, in one sun-rise!

In
California and Arizona it’s always summer,

but
here in New England we have winter… bummer.

In
South Carolina and Virginia the Springs are lush,

but
here in Massachusetts the ground turns to mush.

In
New Mexico and Texas it will be hot and dry,

but
here in New England prepare to say, “Oh, my!”

NECN
thought they could keep up,

but
here in New England the changing weather won’t let up.

Kentucky
and Wisconsin have the best Fall,

but
here in New England it slows to a crawl.

Raking
leaves all day long,

but
people in Georgia and Louisiana do nothing, it’s just wrong.

We
live by surprise,

weather
changing in front of our eyes!

Some
people only want sun’s rays,

but
here in New England we wouldn’t have it any other way!

Michael DiTullio,
grade 5

SECOND PLACE:

Secret
Friends

Secret
Friends are the ones found in books.

The
words on the paper describe all their looks.

They
might be heroic

but
they may not know it.

They
might pretty

or
silly

or
witty!

Some
might be wizards

with
magical spells.

Some
might be travelers

with
tales to tell.

Some
might be crazy

like
the Mad Hatter

but
they are my friends

and
that’s all that matters.

Sofia
Doucette, grade 5

THIRD PLACE:

Stone

I
ran my fingers across the stone.

Each
divot seemed to play a role.

Wars,
fires, floods and more,

I
stifled a shiver as I was frozen to my core.

Everything
in time seemed to slow down

as I
slowly fell to the cold, hard ground.

My
world went black as I could feel myself fading.

Then
I saw a different black, a different shading.

I
ran toward it, and my world seemed to come back to me.

My
beautiful world came back, now I could see.

But
something was off,

something
was wrong.

Like
an incorrect not, played in a song.

The
stone, like my vision,

was
gone from existence,

gone
from the living.

Charlie
Lemire, grade 5

HONORABLE MENTION:

Trees

The
wind blows by

In
my hair

My
arms nap

And
fall to the ground.

Minutes
later

My
whole body

Collapsed

With
a big thud on the ground

Am I
dead?

Or

Is
it a new adventure beginning?

I’m
discovered by the people

They
take me away and cut me up

It
hurts so much

My
life is about to end

I’m
getting burned

Where
am I?

I
lasted 107 years

Why
could I have not lived a little longer?

Why
did the wind have to take me down

I am
a tree

Am I
really worth saving?

Hansi Kommanavancha, grade 5

HONORABLE MENTION:

Tigers

Orange
and white,

sitting
in a field,

Waiting

for
the perfect moment.

All
of a sudden

a
gazelle comes out of the

Jungle
and into the field.

The
tiger is waiting

for the
perfect moment.

It
is about to pounce,

but
it knows better.

The
gazelle comes closer.

The
tiger is ready,

it
jumps forward

from
its hiding place.

The
gazelle instantly

Runs.

The
tiger gets caught

on a
piece of wheat and slows down.

The
gazelle has just enough time

to
run away.

The
tiger sits in the field

Waiting

for
the perfect moment.

Matthew Howland, grade 5

HONORABLE MENTION:

Untitled

They
think I’m mad

All day

Every day

But
I’m not, I’m sad.

They
run from me.

They exclude me.

They are mean to me.

I
was only mean because she was

But she never got caught.

I did.

And
as they run from me

I get mad

As they exclude me

I’m so
annoyed.

And
when they are mean to me

I’m ready to burst like a water
balloon that’s about to get smashed to the ground.

And
as soon as the water balloon hits the ground

I’m off.

I
chase them, I swim after them…

There’s always something near me to
throw or bang them with

As
my parents say, “No, Lauren,” or “Stop, Lauren,”

It’s
too late, I’m in my own little world

And they don’t exist.

Lauren DiTullio, grade 5

SIXTH GRADE:

FIRST PLACE:

Coconut’s
Life

I remember when it all started

When
I first gained my consciousness

I was simply a little coconut

On a Florida palm tree

Just a
little green baby coconut

With
all my coconut friends

Overlooking the Caribbean

Hanging over the sea

In
endless coconut joy

Forever observing as the waves
rolled in

And crashed onto the
shore

With
loud booms

Shaking the tree where I lived

The
hot tropical air would keep my outer shell warm

Because it’s never cold
on the sandy shores of Florida

I
have such a relaxing life

I
had such a relaxing life

I will never
again have a relaxing life

All
thanks to the day the storm came

It had violent winds that threw
objects I had known all my life out to sea

Leaves
of the mighty palm in which I lived were torn and ripped

Thrown
out to sea

Worst
of all,

All my friends

The ones I
had known forever

Were
launched to the ocean

And swallowed by the waves

As I
helplessly sat in the coarse sand

Watching
them leave my coconut life

Now I’m just a lonely coconut

An old brown coconut

Sitting
on the beach

Hoping my friends will return…

They
will someday… I know it

Owen Donelle,
grade 6

SECOND PLACE:

I
Fall

I
fall

slowly

drifting
to the ground

soaring
this way and that way swaying in the wind

I land

The
harsh winter air hits my face and sends me flying back into the air

I
join my brothers and sister as I settle down for the second time

Suddenly

a
great big hand comes down and picks me up

I
get packed into a ball and thrown in the air

The
wind whistles through my ears

SMACK!

I
hit a tree and stick

unable
to free myself

Slowly

Painstakingly

I
slide down the bark and rejoin my friends

It
rains

I
can feel

the
big

wet

drops
hitting my face

The
water splashes

sending
shivers down my spine

It’s
cold

I
freeze

The
clouds part and I see the sun shining bright

I
lay there

all
day

watching
the sun slowly melt my brothers and sisters

always
scared that it will be my turn next

I
melt

I
feel the sun’s rays beating down on me

I go
slowly

at
first

then
faster

I
evaporate

turning
into nothing but air

I
rise

Jonathan
Castner, grade 6

THIRD PLACE:

The
Jolly Pirate Ship

Standing
on the edge

of the
jolly pirate’s ship.

I
feel the breeze

play
with my hair.

Looking
down

into
the water.

What
will I find?

I
jump into the water.

SPLASH!

It’s
as warm

as
bathtub water.

I
hear bubbles

sizzle
up to the surface.

The
ocean tastes

and
smells like saltines.

Shipwreck
with algae growing on it,

dark
holes spotted the wood

halfway
sunken into the sand.

How
did that happen?

Coral
reef with

millions
of colorful

fish,
sea life, and plants.

Angel,
tuna, and clown fish.

Seaweed,
barnacles, coral and more.

Like
an underwater rainbow of confetti.

Red

Orange

Yellow

Green

Blue

Indigo

Violet

Beautiful
starfish

Cotton
candy pink, tropical tangerine orange,

Bumblebee
yellow and plum purple.

I
realized I haven’t seen one in so long.

Standing
on the edge

of
the jolly pirate’s shop,

As
the sun sinks into the ocean

leaving
streaks of pink and red behind.

Mariah
Reisner, grade 6

HONORABLE MENTION:

Anguish

Nothing
to do

nothing
to see

darkness
has fallen

blackness
I bleed

treasuring
something I no longer need

I’ve
lost my willpower

on
others’ I feed

delivering
sadness

wherever
I breathe

they
don’t my life,

my
sorrows I sheathe.

No
entertainment

no
purpose in life

against
my own death

forever
I fight

alone
I shall cry

hidden
by the night

and
the joys I once had are removed by the light

but
forever I go on

though
life is my plight

my
sorrows I sheathe,

They
don’t know my life.

Evermore
I search

for
reasons not to hide

constantly
living

a fracturing
lie

yet
I always will yearn

for
what’s beyond the light

not
for curiosity

but
for my time drawn nigh

and
now I may go,

and
now I may cry,

no
longer judged by thousands of eyes…

Allie
Hunter, grade 6

HONORABLE MENTION:

Snowy
Woods

It
was a great day,

the
day that Mr. Woods came to life.

With
his button nose,

his
stone smile,

his
stick arms,

his
camo-style Red Sox hat,

and
his carrot nose,

he
was Woods… Snowy Woods.

Now
Snowy Woods

was
a happy guy,

he
would never cry.

He
hobbled around,

with
his cool hat,

nothing
was frightened of him,

not
even a rat.

He
loves to read,

outside
it keeps getting hotter,

his
favorite book,

is
Snowy Potter.

He
loves to try,

some
new things,

even
if it means

his car
gets some dings.

Snowy
Woods is like a joke,

he is
thought and funny combined.

Now
as the years pass, Snowy get old,

but
he still tries to stand bold.

Now
Snowy knows,

he
must go

back
to the land of other snowmen.

With
that button nose,

that
stone smile,

those
stick arms,

his
carrot nose,

and
that one and only Red Sox hat,

he was
Woods, Snowy Woods.

Aidan
MacDonald, grade 6

HONORABLE MENTION:

Ground

The
pounding of Water

covers
Ground

a
coat of wetness

trying
to cause destruction to Ground

It
does not matter

beauty
still germinates out of Ground.

Pink
smudges poke out their heads

green
sprouts out of Ground

darkness
has settled all around

angry
at Ground for its endless happiness

“This
is no happy time, death is around but you seem not to care!”

Ground
doesn’t listen to Darkness because

it
does not matter

beauty
still germinates out of Ground.

With
no Light around

no
one can appreciate

what
still comes up

but
Ground knows

it
does not matter

beauty
still germinates out of Ground.

Ground
knew it would happen

Light
coming around

bring
Destruction

But
as Light and Destruction attempt to kill Ground, Ground just grows back again

An
endless cycle, Ground knows

It
does not matter

Beauty
still germinates out of Ground.

Nicolas
Cerioni, grade 6

SEVENTH GRADE:

FIRST PLACE:

Stars

Little
dancers in the night,

or
are they angels,

here
to cast light?

Glowing
and glittering,

they
sail the skies,

for
little ones to ponder,

with
curious eyes.

Whimsical
wonders right out of a dream,

spinning
and soaring,

so,
it may seem.

Hoping
and wishing,

on
the brightest of them all,

I
find myself wondering,

do
stars ever fall?

And
if they fall,

where
do they land?

Do
they wash up on beaches,

to
rest in the sand?

Is
the Earth a bed,

for
weary stars?

Or
maybe someone comes along,

to
collect them in jars.

Or
do they simply stay in the sky,

watching
day by day,

go
by and by?

They
watch from their posts,

the
children play,

until
the children group up,

yet the
stars have to stay.

The
eyes of children twinkle so bright,

easy
for stars to see,

even
in the gloom of night.

Yet
as they grown,

the
twinkle will dim,

the
chances of it recurring,

ever
so slim,

but
the twinkle only leaves,

to
live in the skies,

tis
when a new star,

will
rise.

And if
you ever need a little light,

some
hope,

or joy

look up

and see

where
all your wonder lies.

Margot Sonia,
grade 7

SECOND PLACE:

Vanished

It’s
me.

Not
the me you saw that cold Fall evening,

when
you pulled me from the ground,

thinking
it might bring me back.

But
you didn’t find me.

You
found a pale face,

darkened
by the demons,

tearing
at my bare flesh.

But
she’s not me.

I’m
not that rosy face,

the
one they laughed at,

reddened
by the love I felt towards you.

That,

That
girl,

She’s
not me.
I’m not that pile of ashes

that
you sprinkled in the lake

the
one where I took my last breath,

the
one where I drowned in the darkness of my thoughts.

She’s
not me.

I’m
the shadow that follows you,

The
memories.

For
that is the only part of me that hasn’t perished.

Sophie
Atkins, grade 7

THIRD PLACE:

The
Unwanted Toy

There
it lay

peeling
from the

relentless
sun

coated
with

a
film of dust.

Missing
a wheel

and
with a

broken
axle, too,

no
one wants it.

In
despair, it

goes
its days

hoping
a better fate

is
in its future.

Now
with a

home
to name own

and
the watchful eye

of a
compatible soul,

it
plays its content

because
life isn’t

perfect,
but

how
you handle it

gets
you close

enough.

With
a red

glossy
glow

and
a new

shiny
wheel,

a
wish fulfilled

echoes
a star-filled,

joyous
night.

Eric
D’Eon, grade 7

HONORABLE MENTION:

Trapped

I
stand there every day,

Waiting.

Watching.

My
toes, sticky with gum,

mindlessly
thrown onto my steel body.

I’m
stuck in the same position,

my
jammed gun welded onto my shoulder.

Defenseless

as
children pass by smiling but not at me.

Someway
I will move,

but
not willingly.

I
will not move to stretch,

Not
to deliver my hidden message.

I
will move to a new prison,

trapped
in a fountain.

Waiting.

Watching.

Frowning

Andrew
Spratt, grade 7

HONORABLE MENTION:

Death
of a Marshmallow

Help
me!

They’ll
burn off my skin,

Boil
me until I melt!

In
chocolate.

I
was always taught to fear it.

“Hot
Chocolate”

It
makes me hot just thinking about it.

AHHHHHH!

They’re
putting me in.

Here
I go.

Tell
my parents I have always loved them

Because
I will die today.

But
my sticky sweet soul will blend

With
the creamy and rich essence

Of
hot chocolate.

How
bittersweet is the death

Of a
marshmallow.

Sarah
Leonard, grade 7

HONORABLE MENTION:

Wishes

Every
night I wish

To the clock at 11:11

To shooting stars in the
sky.

I
wished for a time machine

For super speed

For a billion dollars.

But
none of my wishes ever came true.

I
tried harder

Wishing on dandelions

Wishing on four leaf
clovers

Wishing on
birthday candles.

But
still, none of them came true.

But
one day

I wished for someone else

And it came true!

Even
though I couldn’t see it coming true

I could feel
it

Deep
in my bones

Like
a strike of lightning

I
realized then that all of my wishes had already come true.

I
was healthy

I was happy

I had people who loved
me.

I
went to school and one day would have a job

I had power to speak
out.

I
also realized that my wishes would never be answered

Because wishes were reserved for
those less fortunate

Those who were

Sick

Sad, Unloved and Lonely.

Those
without an education who might never get a job,

Those whose voice is blocked by
others.

So, I still wish every day and every
night

Only now it’s never for
myself.

Elise
DiTullio, grade 7

EIGHTH GRADE:

FIRST PLACE:

Top
Cheddar

Flying
down the ice is an opposing player,

My
defense is useless as per usual,

Zooming
on down the middle, puck on his stick.

Readying
myself

The
player skates in

As is
come out of my crease I think

Why
don’t I mix it up a bit?

The
player tries to

Dodge

Duck

Dip

Dive

And
Dodge

But
I just waited him out.

He
starts his final skate up and begins to dangle

He
gets closer.

I
wait.

He’s
at the hashmarks.

I
wait.

Finally,
he makes his final move. It’s to the right.

I
smile and being the most epic save of all time

Slide
to the right

Fall
back

Bring
one pad over the other and

Stack.
The. Pads.

I
hear the shot fly off his stick a second later and brace for the impact

But
it never comes.

I
look back and see the puck suspended in the top of the net.

Top
Cheddar.

Blake Winsmann,
grade 8

SECOND PLACE:

Ode
to Hockey Skates

When
I lace you up, skates,

I
get an amazing feeling.

As
you get

Tighter
and

tighter,

It
feels like power and explosiveness,

like
I can do anything.

I
can smell a stench of opportunity,

hard
work,

and
effort.

When
I put you on I think of

all
the hard work

I
put in to make me better,

and
it all comes down to these moments.

My
mind is soley on the game.

I
can feel a sense of

urgency,

hype.

I
explode onto the rink.

The
steel blades dig deep

into
the fresh ice.

It’s
the most tremendous feeling.

I
could not live without you.

Hockey
would not be played.

Ice
would have no point.

It
would just stand forever,

No
reason for cold air,

Absolutely
no reason for me,

My
life would be pointless.

You
are the greatest, skates.

Jack
Wanamaker, grade 8

THIRD PLACE:

Floorless

I
lay there motionless.

I am
always here.

Every
day the same routine.

I am
frozen.

No
one cares.

I am
paralyzed.

No
one sees.

I am
transfixed.

No
one hears.

I am
always there for you.

I am
stepped over,

stomped
on.

The
weight on my shoulders,

Is
too much to bear.

Almost
everyone forgets about me.

It’s
a pity,

you’d
think.

I
never get a thank you,

or a
sorry.

But
why would I,

I am
just a floor.

Sydney Machado and
Haley May, grade 8

HONORABLE MENTION:

Turning
Shoes

I
can’t live without you.

the
pointed, turned out feet

you
helped me show.

The
perfect turns you helped me perform.

You
make me a better dancer.

My
performance triples in

energy,
elegance, and emotion.

I
can taste the determination

as
it drips down my face.

When
I slip you on, I am

thrilled
to get up and dance.

The
assurance that these shoes won’t fall off

is
the best in the world.

When
I slide you across the floor,

I
hear my instructor: 5, 6, 7, 8.

When
I don’t turn,

the
world doesn’t turn,

and
my world would be in darkness without you.

Amy
Doran, grade 8

HIGH
SCHOOL:

FIRST PLACE:

Quixotic Thoughts

I tell
you things I haven’t even told myself

Yet

Leaving
thoughts set out on the table with their utensils ready for you to digest